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"... The author examines the strategic role of information systems in "extending " the enterprise. These issues emerge as essential considerations in the strategic alignment of the investment in information technology and business strategy. Information technologies transform organizational boun ..."

The author examines the strategic role of information systems in &quot;extending &quot; the enterprise. These issues emerge as essential considerations in the strategic alignment of the investment in information technology and business strategy. Information technologies transform organizational boundaries, interorganizational relations and marketplace competitive, and cooperative, practice. The paper presents a framework of strategic control that informs the planning and execution of these investments in information technology for business transformation, seeking increased understanding and influence. Emerging information technologies change the limits of what is possible in the leverage of strategic control through transformation of boundaries, relations and

"... Methodological fit, an implicitly valued attribute of high-quality field research in organizations, has received little attention in the management literature. Fit refers to internal consistency among elements of a research project—research question, prior work, research design, and theoretical cont ..."

Methodological fit, an implicitly valued attribute of high-quality field research in organizations, has received little attention in the management literature. Fit refers to internal consistency among elements of a research project—research question, prior work, research design, and theoretical contribution. We introduce a contingency framework that relates prior work to the design of a research project, paying particular attention to the question of when to mix qualitative and quantitative data in a single research paper. We discuss implications of the framework for educating new field researchers. To advance management theory, a growing number of scholars are engaging in field research, studying real people, real problems, and real organizations. Although the potential relevance of field research is motivating, the research journey can be messy and inefficient, fraught with logistical hurdles and unexpected events. Researchers manage complex relationships with sites, cope with constraints on sample selection and timing of data collection, and often confront mid-project changes to planned research designs. With these additional challenges, the logic of a research design and how it supports the development of a specific theoretical contribution can be obscured or altered along the way in field research. Compared to experimental studies, analyses of published data sets, or computer simulations, achieving fit between the type of data collected in and the theoretical contribution of a given field research project is a dynamic and challenging process.

"... The capitalist and socialist societies of the 20 th century assigned firms different roles within their economic systems. Enterprises transforming from socialist to market economies thus face fundamental organizational restructuring. Many former state-owned firms in the transition economies of Centr ..."

The capitalist and socialist societies of the 20 th century assigned firms different roles within their economic systems. Enterprises transforming from socialist to market economies thus face fundamental organizational restructuring. Many former state-owned firms in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe have failed at this task. These firms have pursued primarily defensive downsizing, rather than strategic restructuring, as a result of both internal and external constraints on restructuring strategies. Building on the organizational learning and resource-based theories, we analyze strategies available to management in privatized, former state-owned enterprises in transition economies to restructure their organization. Both internal forces promoting or inhibiting the restructuring process, and external constraints arising in the transition context are examined. A model and testable propositions are developed that explain post-privatization performance. Implications of our research point to the ways in which firms should manage and develop their resource base to transform to competitive enterprises.

"... This paper resolves the long-standing debate between the two dominant process schools in strategy. Analysis of the planning practices of 656 firms shows that formal planning and incrementalism both form part of ‘good ’ strategic planning, especially in unstable environments. Environment neither mode ..."

This paper resolves the long-standing debate between the two dominant process schools in strategy. Analysis of the planning practices of 656 firms shows that formal planning and incrementalism both form part of ‘good ’ strategic planning, especially in unstable environments. Environment neither moderates the need for formal planning nor the direction of the planning/performance relationship, but does moderate firm planning capabilities and planning flexibility. In unstable environments planning capabilities are far better developed and formal plans more amenable to change. The planning/performance relationship is, however, moderated by planning duration: at least four years of formal planning are required before external performance associations are noted. Copyright Ó 1999 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

"... In this article, we begin to explore the black box between human resources (HR) practices and firm performance. Specifically, we examine the relationships between a set of network-building HR practices, aspects of the external and internal social networks of top management teams, and firm performanc ..."

In this article, we begin to explore the black box between human resources (HR) practices and firm performance. Specifically, we examine the relationships between a set of network-building HR practices, aspects of the external and internal social networks of top management teams, and firm performance. Results from a field study with 73 high-technology firms showed that the relationships between the HR practices and firm performance (sales growth and stock growth) were mediated through their top managers ’ social networks. Researchers in the field of strategic human re-source management (SHRM) have increasingly re-lied on the resource-based view of the firm to ex-plain the role of human resource practices in firm performance (Wright, Dunford, &amp; Snell, 2001). In-deed, theoretical research on SHRM has suggested that systems of HR practices may lead to higher firm performance and be sources of sustained com-

"... The conventional wisdom that product lifetimes are shrinking has important implications fortechnology management and product planning. However, very limited empirical information on this topic is available. In this paper, product lifetimes are directly measured as the time between product introducti ..."

The conventional wisdom that product lifetimes are shrinking has important implications fortechnology management and product planning. However, very limited empirical information on this topic is available. In this paper, product lifetimes are directly measured as the time between product introduction and withdrawal. Statistical analyses of desktop personal computer models introduced between 1974 and 1992 are conducted at various product market levels. Results indicate that (1) product technology and product model lifetimes have not accelerated, and (2) manufac-turers have not systematically reduced the life-cycles of products within their lines. Instead, the products of firms that have entered this industry in the more recent years tend to be based on previously existing technology, and, not surprisingly, these products have lifetimes that are shorter than those of established firms. Implications of these findings are discussed. (Product Life-Cycles; Personal Computer Industry; Failure Time Analysis) 1.

"... Heterogeneity among rivals implies that each firm faces a unique competitive set, despite overlapping market domains. This suggests the utility of a firm-level approach to competitor identification and analysis, particularly under dynamic environmental conditions. We take such an approach in develop ..."

Heterogeneity among rivals implies that each firm faces a unique competitive set, despite overlapping market domains. This suggests the utility of a firm-level approach to competitor identification and analysis, particularly under dynamic environmental conditions. We take such an approach in developing a market-based and resource-based framework for scanning complex competitive fields. By facilitating a search for functional similarities among products and resources, the framework reveals relevant commonalities in an otherwise heterogeneous competitive set. Beyond its practical contribution, the paper also advances resource-based theory as a theory of competitive advantage. Most notably, we show that resource substitution conditions not only the sustainability of a competitive advantage, but the attainment of competitive advantage as well. With equifinality among resources of different types, the rareness condition for even temporary competitive advantage must include resource substitutes. It is not rareness in terms of resource type that matters, but rareness in terms of resource functionality. Copyright 2003 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

"... The successful timing of organizational activities depends not only on effective planning and coordination, but also temporal responsiveness – the ability of organizational actors to adapt the timing of their activities to unanticipated events. In this paper, we examine the individuallevel dynamics ..."

The successful timing of organizational activities depends not only on effective planning and coordination, but also temporal responsiveness – the ability of organizational actors to adapt the timing of their activities to unanticipated events. In this paper, we examine the individuallevel dynamics underlying temporal responsiveness: we examine how organizational actors evaluate timing changes; e.g., changes from existing organizational schedules, routines, expectations, and plans. We review a broad body of psychological, economic, sociological, anthropological and organizational research on time to introduce a reference point model of how people perceive and evaluate time in organizations. We extend these findings to examine the psychology of how changes in timing are valued. Several propositions are presented about personal schedule changes and how individual actors evaluate them. When Plans Change 3